In 1996, the idea of a Food & Wine Festival was born, running just 30 days with only a few booths in the World Showcase area of Epcot. Now 20 years later, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Presented by Chase runs 53 days with a record 30 global marketplaces stretching around the World Showcase and, for the first time, into Future World.
Master of the Roast presented by Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company, located near Ellen’s Energy Adventure, shows coffee from around the world and how it is harvested.
The Next Eats area, located where the butterfly house normally is for Flower & Garden, along with Sustainable Chew, Chew Lab and Artistry of Wine & Cheese tie in with the ABC’s The Chew.
Also in Future World is the Festival Center.The Festival Center is home of all things Food & Wine, from cooking demonstrations to all the merchandise you could want! Of course one of the favorite locations in the Festival Center is always the Wine Shop. The festival itself offers over 300 domestic and international wines throughout the different marketplaces and most of those wines are available for a purchase in the Wine Shop.One of the sweetest treats of the Festival Center is always The Chocolate Experience: From Bean to Bar Hosted by Ghirardelli Chocolate.This unique experience not only offers a free sample of some of the best chocolate but also a bar where you can purchase chocolate to drink. By far one of the highlights of the area are the displays designed by many of the Walt Disney World chefs. While the A/C is nice, the fun things to see in the Festival Center could fill an entire day, especially if you are a fan of The Chew.There’s a lot more to see heading toward World Showcase.